Police find woman's body in car

By Daniella Miletic in Auckland

police have found a body believed to be that of Anan Liu, the mother of a toddler abandoned at a train station, in the boot of her husband's car.

Police said the body of an Asian woman was discovered this afternoon in the boot of a Chinese Times vehicle belonging to Ms Liu’s husband, .

It is believed the car had been parked outside the home since Wednesday before being moved by police last night.

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Police opened the boot of the car today to discover the body, believed to be that of Ms Liu, inside.

Officers investigating the disappearance of Ms Liu searched the vehicle around and found the body.

NZ Police Sergeant Simon Scott said police and scientists were with the body and carrying out a forensic examination of the car.

The body will be removed from the car tomorrow for a post-mortem examination.

Police have informed Ms Liu's mother in of the discovery but say no formal identification of the body has taken place.

This afternoon police they revealed the last confirmed sighting of Ms Liu was at a child-care centre in the suburb of Balmoral last Tuesday.

Police defend delay

Sergeant Scott defended the delay in searching the car, saying his officers were conducting a thorough investigation.

Asked why it took police more than two days to open the boot of the vehicle, he replied: "There's a lot of work to do to make sure we preserve as much forensic evidence pertaining to the woman's death as possible.

"To that end we won't be rushed into doing anything and will take the utmost care in examining the key item in what is now most definitely a homicide investigation."

The process of gaining a search warrant for the car was slow, which had delayed the examination of the car, Sergeant Scott said.

Passers-by, journalists and police were walking past the car as late as yesterday.